1st class or 2nd? Pocono Township voters to decide

It appears local voters will decide this November whether Pocono Township transitions from a second-class to a first-class township.

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By DAVID PIERCE

poconorecord.com

By DAVID PIERCE

Posted Jul. 24, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By DAVID PIERCE

Posted Jul. 24, 2013 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

It appears local voters will decide this November whether Pocono Township transitions from a second-class to a first-class township.

Pocono First Initiative, a recently formed political action committee, filed a petition last week to put the referendum on the election ballot. Monroe County Judge David Williamson has signed an order directing the Monroe County Board of Elections to place the yes-or-no question on the Nov. 5 township ballot.

The change in township governance — if the referendum is approved — will have two major benefits, said Pocono First Initiative Committee Chairwoman Judi Coover:

The three elected second-class supervisors, who serve six-year terms, would be replaced by a five-member board of commissioners, each serving a four-year term.

If Pocono becomes first class, elected board members will no longer be able to appoint themselves to township jobs.

"The separation of powers is very clear, and that's helpful," Coover said. "Those people should be selected for jobs, hired by the board based on a job application."

Supervisors' self-appointment to jobs — particularly the job of roadmaster — has sparked controversy in the township. Minority Supervisor Harold Werkheiser was replaced last January by Supervisor Henry Bengel, who resigned weeks later amid widespread criticism. Werkheiser has applied to get his job back and serves on a hiring committee that is reviewing his and other applications.

Supervisor Frank Hess and local developer Vince Trapasso each proposed holding a public forum, with outside speakers, on the merits of changing township classification. They held off on scheduling those events after Pocono First Initiative members objected that any forum should wait until a measure successfully made it onto the ballot.

Once a ballot measure is assured, Pocono First plans to hold its own monthly forums in August, September and October. Those forums will be strictly educational, she said, intended to provide factual information on both forms of governance.

"It won't be a debate or something that can get turned out of hand," Coover said.

If others see merit in a debate format, she said: "They should hold events then, I guess."

Coover doesn't think many voters will oppose going to first class.

"I really don't see a downside unless you're a supervisor wanting a job," she said. "Usually a sitting board isn't in favor of it because it could cost them their jobs."

Judge Williamson's order said it appeared the petition met requirements that at least 5 percent of the township's registered voters — about 350 people — sign it. He noted a copy of a statement from the county certifying Pocono Township has at least 300 residents per square mile, the only other requirement to become a first-class township.

More than 600 local registered voters signed the petition, Coover said.

It is unclear if opponents have the legal right to scrutinize and challenge the validity of enough signatures to have the first-class referendum thrown out, as is allowed with other referendums and efforts by candidates to get on the ballot.

"The petition does not have to meet the election code requirements for nomination petitions since it is filed with the court, not the election board," states the Referendum Handbook published by the Governor's Center for Local Government Services.